Meter support or shelf.



P. MUELLER & A. G. SGHUERMANN.

METER SUPPORT OR $HBLP. APILIOATION FILED JULY 22, 1910.

1,018,675. Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH 410.. WASHINGTON. 0.1:.

P. MUELLER & A. G. SCHUERMANN. METER SUPPORT 0R SHELF.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TIE-7 m Mmnw lm/ 214mm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. Y

PHILIP MUELLER AND ANTON C. SCHUERMANN, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE H. MUELLER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS.

METER SUPPORT OR SHELF.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, PHILIP MUELLER and ANTON C. SOHUERMANN, citizens of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Meter Supports or Shelves, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in meter supports or shelves.-

The principal object of our invention is to provide a device of this character which can readily be attached to the wall in approximate position and then, by adjustment, accurately position a seat forming a part of the device at the exact point where the meter may rest thereupon without placing any strains on the meter connections.

A further object is to provide a shelf or support of this type having both vertical and horizontal adjustment to place the seat in a position to provide equal distribution of weight thereon.

A further object is to provide means connected with'the shelf or support for retaining the meter out of contactwith the wall to which the shelf or support is attached.

A further object is to provide means for retaining the adjusting member of the device against movements to swing the seat laterally. q

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which is neat and attractive in appearance, durable in construction, which can be readily placed in position, which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost, and which will form an eflicient device for the purpose.

To these and other ends the nature of which will be readily understood as the invention is hereinafter disclosed, said invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views,Figure l is a vertical cross sectional view of a wall and showing one form of our device secured thereto, a meter being shown as seated on the device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device taken Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 22, 1910.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 1912.

Serial No. 573,323.

on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan of a modified form of connecting member, said vlew showing the seat rod in section. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5, 5 of Fig. 4.. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of connecting member. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing a sleeve provided with rod-biting members adapted to prevent relative rotative movement of the connection and the rod on which it is mounted. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of attaching means. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8, 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9, 9, of Fig. 8, and showing the wall in section.

In view of the fact that gas meters do not form permanent portions of the service connections, being subject to removal for various causes, such as the cutting out of the service connections, the substitution of a new meter or a meter of difl erent size, etc., it is desirable to provide a shelf or support for the meter which will not only provide an efficient supporting seat therefor after the connections have been made, but which will also serve as a support on which the meter may rest while making the connections, during which time the meter may require movements in various directions in order that the connections may be made with the least difficulty, the final adjustment being made after the connections have been completed. While devices for this purpose have heretofore been provided, each of them possess disadvantages of various kinds and they fail to meet the requirements of actual use. These disadvantages are overcome by the construction now to be described.

The shelf or support is preferably formed of three members, designated as the attaching member, the seat member, and the adjustable connecting member. Of these members the seat member is of substantially the same form in each of the modifications shown herein, the remaining members being modified as indicated.

The seat member is designated as 20, and is formed of a seat portion 21 of suitable type to preferably provide a flat upper surface on which the meter may rest, and a seat rod 22 extending downwardly from the center of the seat, being of sufficient length to provide the necessary adjustment. The seat 21 is preferably of oval shape in plan view, although theshape may be of other desired contour, the seat shown in the drawings, however, combining a maximum supporting surface with a neat and attractive appearance. If desired, the seat may be of skeleton form as shown. As heretofore indicated, the'seat member is common to each of the forms of the remaining members herein disclosed.

Referring now more particularly to the structure of the attaching and connecting members shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, 25 designates the attaching member which, in this instance, comprises a rod 26 of suitable length and having a double. bend therein in termediate its ends to provide an offset in the form of a downwardly extending portion 27 and an inner or attaching end portion 28 flattened toward its end to permitit to be readily inserted into the wall to which it is to be attached, the flattened end por tion 28 being of sufficient length to provide a proper amount of wall penetration to supply the necessary support for the meter. To enable the attaching member to be readily driven into the wall, the offset portion is provided with a face 29 in approximate alinement with the direction of length of the end 28, this face serving to receive the blows from a driving implement of suitable t e.

The connecting member, designated as 30, comprises a sleeve 31 mounted on and movable'longitudinally of the rod 26, and a portion extending vertically from approximately the center of the sleeve to form a socket 32 adapted to receive the seat rod 22. The sleeve and socket are each provided with a set screw 33 by means of which the sleeve may be adjustably positioned on the rod 26, and the seat be adjusted vertically by the adjustable positioning of the rod 22 within the socket. The socket and sleeve may be formed integral, as shown in Fig. 3, or the connecting member may be made by a built up structure, the former however being preferred. As this particular form of connecting member limits the amount of vertical adjustment of the rod 22 we may employ the connecting member shown in Figs. 4, and 5, or Fig. 5 in which the seat rod receiving portion is formed by a laterally extending offset 34 having a separate opening 35 through which the rod 22 8X tends, adjustment being had by the set screw 35; or, as shown in Fig. 5 the opening 35 may be in open communication with the socket, thereby permitting an adjustable securing of both rods by a single set screw. In these forms the axial plane of the rod 22 does not intersect that of the rod 26, being located at one side thereof.

If it should be found necessary, in cases where the rods have a circular contour in cross section, to provide additional means to prevent a tendency of the sleeve to be moved in a rotary direction, the sleeve may be provided with suitable means, such as teeth 36 adapted to bite into the surface of the rod, forming aids to the set screw for preventing such rotative movement. The rods 22 and 26 are shown herein as having a circular contour in cross section, the sleeve and socket having complemental openings to receive them. It is to be understood, however, that a different cross sectional contour may be used, such for instance as an angular or oval contour, the sleeve and socket having complemental openings, these variations being obvious and well known expedients for preventing relative rotative movements.

The form of attaching means above described is best adapted for use where the wall is formed of brick, stone, or equivalent material, a structure which will permit the end 28 to be secured in position therein. WVhere the wall to which the support is to be attached is formed of other material, such as wood, we prefer to employ the attaching means shown in Figs. 7 to 9, in which the rod 26 is not bent, but secured to the lower end of a bracket 40 having a rear substantially flat face 41, side wings or webs 42, and a top wing or web 43. The bracket is provided with an opening 44, to receive an attaching screw 45 by means of which the bracket is secured to the wall, the rear face of the bracket being provided with a pro ecting penetrating point 46, which may, if desired, be provided by the end of the rod 26, the point 46 serving to prevent a swinging movement of the bracket on the screw 45.

As shown, the web 43 projects forwardly beyond the plane of the webs 42, the front face of said web 43 serving as an abutment against which the rear face of the meter may rest, thereby retaining the latter out of contact with the wall, and forming a support against movement of the meter toward the wall should the meter he accidentally hit on the front face. This movement-preventing restricts liability of damage to the meter connections.

As will be understood, either form of connecting member 30 may be employed in connection with either form of attaching member, the several structures of device shown providing for a selection of form of connecting member and a selection of attaching member, with the requirement only of a minimum number of parts, the parts being interchangeable and thus providing for various conditions and enabling a meeting of these conditions from a restricted stock supply. Y

While we have herein disclosed various means for carrying out our invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details of construction,

reserving the right to make such modifications therein as may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new is,

1. In a meter support, a bracket for securement against a wall and having a portion adapted to serve as an abutment for the meter to space the same from the wall, a supporting member extendingv outwardly from the bracket below the plane of the abutment, and a seat for the meter carried upon the supporting member and adapted for adjustment toward and from the abutment. 7

2. In a meter support, a bracket for securement against aiwall and having an outwardly projecting portion adapted to serve as an abutment for a meter, a supporting member extending outwardly from the bracket below the plane of the abutment, a connecting member mounted upon the supporting member for adjustment toward and from the abutment, and a seat for the meter carried on the connecting member and adapted for vertical adjustment thereon.

3. In a meter support, a bracket having an opening for the passage of a securing element and carrying a penetrating point adapted to prevent a swinging movement of the bracket about the securing element, and a meter supporting member projecting outwardly from said bracket and carrying means to permit adjustment of the member toward and away from the bracket, said bracket carrying an abutment against which the meter is adapted to rest.

4. In a meter support, a bracket having an opening for the passage of a securing element, and a meter supporting member extending through and projecting from opposite sides of the bracket, the inner end of the member being pointed to serve to prevent a swinging movement of the bracket about the securing element, said bracket carrying an abutment against which the meter is adapted to rest.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP MUELLER. ANTON O. SCHUERMANN.

Witnesses:

W. R. GUSTIN, W. R. BIDDLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

